An examination of the question of animal rights

Abstract

This dissertation is concerned with nonhuman animal rights within the realm of ethical theory. The aim is to examine the contemporary situation of nonhuman animals in the world and in philosophical writings, based on the past and present of the nonhuman animal rights movement and works regarding the moral considerability of nonhuman animals. This paper starts by examining the disregard for nonhuman animals in the realm of philosophy, and then examines how this is linked to speciesism and other types of discrimination found in society. Centrally, this dissertation posits sentience as the ‘benchmark’ for moral consideration, and then outlines some moral theories which have elaborated on this and argue for the consideration of nonhuman animals, and against speciesism. Reports and accounts relating to the nonhuman animal industry are provided in order to substantiate the claim that nonhuman animals suffer greatly at the hands of humans, and to provide further incentive to take these creatures into consideration.